Modesto Bee Reprint Guidelines

Frequently Asked Questions

By Melissa Van Diepen , The Modesto Bee

Q: Do I need written permission to reprint articles or photos?
A: Yes. Articles, photos, graphics, and audio/video that are published in The Modesto Bee and on modbee.com are protected by federal copyright laws and may not be reprinted without written approval. We grant reprint permission for material created by The Modesto Bee and modbee.com but it does not extend to wire services, syndicates or freelancers. You must contact those agencies or people directly.

Q: I'm a teacher and I would like to make a few copies of a story by a Bee staff writer for my class. Is this possible?
A: More often than not, we allow Modesto Bee content to be reproduced for personal, educational or noncommercial purposes. In addition to saying "yes" to requests from individuals, we also frequently give permission to schools and colleges, churches and assorted community nonprofit organizations to run off copies of articles or reprint them in newsletters, bulletins, etc.

Q: I own a business that The Bee did a story on and would like to reprint the story for a marketing campaign. Is that ok?
A: No. Generally, we do not grant permission for commercial ventures to reprint our content.

Q: I'm running for office and I want to reprint a series of stories for my campaign literature. Is that ok?
A: No. We do not grant permission to political candidates and organizations to reprint stories, editorials, columns or photos as part of campaigns. And, specifically we do not grant requests by candidates to reproduce stories, or The Modesto Bee nameplate, in campaign materials.

Q: I would like to reprint some photos for a presentation I am doing. Is this possible?
A: Any requests by local individuals and organizations to reprint photos or reuse video will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Q: Can I post Modesto Bee photos, articles, graphics or video on my website?
A: No. We do not allow our content to be posted on other websites.

Q: Can I link to content on modbee.com?
A: Yes. You may link to content on the Modesto Bee's website without written permission. However, if you would like to post a few paragraphs on your site followed by a link to the full story on modbee.com, you need to obtain written permission.

Q: How do I request reprint permission?
A: All requests, with the exception of linking content, must be made in writing - either on paper or e-mail. In general requests should be made at least two weeks in advance of when the material is needed.

Requests may be addressed to:

Melissa Van Diepen
Director of Information Resources
1325 H Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Or via email to mvandiepen@modbee.com